I WAS most interested in the letter from Thomas McCluskey (October 7), which ties in with a subject on which I have written before which is close to my heart: the rescue of the sailing ship Falls of Clyde from the threatened disaster of scuttling by the Harbour Board of Honolulu, and her return to Scotland.
Proposals for an excellent, useful future for her, if she were brought back, are already in place, but the means of getting her here are currently stymied due to lack of cash and a boat lift company willing to do the job.
READ MORE: Why can’t we make Scotland’s rivers and canals boat-friendly?
Anchored for many years now beside the Maritime Museum in Honolulu, she is a beautiful vessel, the last of the Falls line and the last ironclad sailing ship in the world, but needs dry-dock work. She could not only form the centre piece of the story of the Clyde as a tourist attraction, but also be used for training youngsters and providing sea trips once the proposed new, green propulsion is installed.
The Friends of the Falls of Clyde are working constantly on her behalf, and I would like to think that someone, somewhere in Scotland would support their efforts, either with help or by raising the necessary funds. Perhaps Mr McCluskey would like to look up the Friends website and see if there is anything he can do to publicise this effort and even instigate a fundraising campaign. Having visited her twice, I live in hope.
P Simpson
Falkirk
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